Are the Rangers taking a pass on Jagr?

The latest on the Jaromir Jagr front, via Dellapina, is that “No. 68 still hasn’t received a contract offer from the Rangers”:http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/rangers/2008/06/jagr-no-contact-from-sather.html, lending further credence to the idea that Glen Sather may be looking to turn a new page next season.

Readers of the blog know my feelings on Jagr. I like him; I think he’s got some great hockey left in him; and I think the Rangers, given their current construction, are better served trying to re-sign him for at least another year, and maybe even two.

Having said all that, I’d understand the team’s decision to let Jagr walk if they had a certifiable Plan B, but at least from outward appearances, there doesn’t seem to be one. A report out of Columbus says the Blue Jackets are preparing to “trade for the negotiating rights for Pittsburgh’s Ryan Malone”:http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2008/06/17/jackets17.ART_ART_06-17-08_C1_U8AGU5M.html?sid=101. If this happened, it would not only preclude the Rangers from signing Malone, but it would confirm that the “Penguins are indeed serious about re-signing Marian Hossa”:http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/search/s_572725.html. And in my eyes, Hossa right now is the only viable replacement for a player of Jagr’s caliber.

Another possibility is that the Rangers aren’t looking to make any big free agent splash at forward, either in re-signing their own veterans or in going after others, and are looking merely to promote from within. It’s an admirable philosophy in some regards, and who knows, maybe the team would benefit from this approach long-term. But it doesn’t make sense to have such a formidable collection of high-end centers and have no established wings to play with them (as for re-signing Sean Avery, the agitator is an excellent complementary player, but if he’s one of your top two wings next season, it’s going to be a long one).

Finally, there is the possibility that the Rangers really do want to sign Jagr and are just making him sweat a bit. As Dellapina rightly points out, this isn’t such a stretch for Sather. But when it comes to a player asÂ sensitive as Jagr, it’s a plan that will likely only backfire.

106 Comments

Do you think Sather is just being his retarded self and keeping all the NYR doings so quiet as to even drive the players nuts?

I really just want to know, one way or the other, if we have our captain back, or not. As all of the other decisions will be played out after that decision is made.

Either way there’s only two weeks left at this point, so if JAgr blinks first and calls Sather for some info, Im sure it will get out to the press.
And Sather and CO better get there asses moving before July 1st.
We need some REAL signing/trading news already!!!

I don’t see anything wrong with waiting until the 11th hour to sign a UFA. I’m surprised though that Slats hasn’t even set a time to talk. Although I’m pretty sure each side knows what they want. Doesn’t seem to be about negotiations. Rather, desire to bring him back at all.

If he’s back, then we have another mish-mosh year of guys who play well in defensive/3-zone system, and guys who you say “holy sh!t” when they actually back-check.

We need a #1 RW….still. Jags could fill that role, but he did a sh!tty job as a captain, and will demand too much $. Just b/c we overpay 1/2 the roster, doesn’t open the door for more mistakes.

“trade one of our young wingers along with Pruka for a bigger scoring powerfoward,(there are some out their and this can be done) sign Orpik,Avery,Jagrâ€¦Keep Shanny 4th line.”

Ugh, just move on. Dump Jagr and Shanny. I’d rather see some of our younger players out there and maybe miss the playoffs for a year than see Shanny back again. Jagr is a very iffy as far as I’m concerned. He sucks as a captain and if he pushes the coach around, it is bad for the overall team. Spend money on D to protect Lundqvist and bring up forwards from Hartford.

I don’t mean to knock Shanny as a player. I just don’t think he brings anything to the team anymore. As for Jagr, a captain should be yapping to the refs all the time. What does Jagr do? He sits on the bench staring into the distance. Also, a captain should be preaching the coaches message, not telling the coach how to run plays. I see that as a distraction. If you take the C away from him and he starts shooting the puck all season, dishing it to others too, then I see him being an asset.

Looking at the free agent list there is no big-name #1 winger replacement, we have no replacement internally so unless they have a trade in the pipeline to get one, i say re-sign him for $5-6m for 2 years.
Cherepanov will be here in 09/10 he should provide some more fire-power, but until then we need Jagr back..

I wouldn’t read too much in to this… Jagr only wants to play for the rangers… so he says…. and the season just ended… I wouldn’t be surprised if he told the rangers to take care of other things before him much like Shanny did last year…. he’s not going anywhere unless he doesn’t want to play….

Rangerrotty Says
Jagr is a very iffy as far as Iâ€™m concerned. He sucks as a captain and if he pushes the coach around, it is bad for the overall team.
I AGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT 100%. especailly the part about pushing the coaches around. I don’t know this for sure, but I just get the feeling he does. The coaches base to many desicions around Jags. I just wish it was June 30th so we would know which way this team is going.

Why would anyone think that some player in Hartford can come close to replacing Jagr? (Or could even replace Straka, Shanahan or Avery for that matter.) Why would we get rid of our best players? Because of some fantasy that plugging in new players leads to nirvana? We’ve tried that in Sather’s first few years. Why do we have to wait more years until we can win — other teams can contend every year — it’s obviously management’s fault if we can’t do the same. This team just needs to be tweaked, not torn apart. Sather is every bit as obnoxious and arrogant as he appears to be.

mja_nyr – You want to know what you just outlined? The 2000-2001 Rangers, with the Czechmates(Dvorak-Nedved-Hlavac)plus Fleury and Messier. Three 30-goal scorers, three 20-goal scorers; no playoffs, no future.

You need a gamer in your top line. If you don’t have one, you’re not going to go far.

On the other hand, with almost $20 million invested in Hank, Gomez and Drury next year, they might not have a choice to let Jagr walk, unless he’s willing to take $5 or $6 million, which other teams(and Omsk) could surely top.

KC
In my eyes Jags was NOT our best player, yea maybe stat wise he was. But I still think he has actually has lost his potential to be a number 1 player for any team. And why did it take him practically the entire season to come alive??? I do love Jags and think he is a great player and person. But I think, and I am kind of having a hard time actaully saying this, but I think we would be better with him. I really don’t think we can win THE cup with him. Again I think we revolve to much around him, it’s time we move on.

Happy summer everyone. I have not chimed in for a while. Been busy playing golf and the like.

mja_nyr….i will bet you $100 and even give you odds that there is no way in frieking hell prucha scores 35 goals next year. not a g-damn chance. and 35 assists too. you must have found some good weed this summer. give me some of that please. prucha scoring 70 pts. at least i got a great laugh from this blog today! you think he will finish in the top 30 in scoring in the league. and be tops on the rangers in scoring this year after putting up a whopping 17pts in 62 games last year. holy cow. f-ing hysterical.

hey sather….quick, sign prucha for another 5 yrs, you have a 70pt scorer on your hands. come on glen. get it done.

LOLOLOL.

prucha’s production has gotten worse each year. did you watch any of the later rounds of the playoffs? you think prucha could survive any of that physicality? holy cow.

prucha was in the right place at the right time 2(now 3) seasons ago. Playing next to a guy that was on his way to breaking franchise records. And just so happend to be staying in the guest room. Lighting in a bottle you might say. he also benefited from the extremely tight officiating we saw the 1st season out of the lockout. When you couldn’t even breath on a guy without taking a minor. He shoulda been packaged at the deadline.

“Why would anyone think that some player in Hartford can come close to replacing Jagr? (Or could even replace Straka, Shanahan or Avery for that matter.) Why would we get rid of our best players? Because of some fantasy that plugging in new players leads to nirvana? Weâ€™ve tried that in Satherâ€™s first few years. Why do we have to wait more years until we can winâ€”other teams can contend every yearâ€”itâ€™s obviously managementâ€™s fault if we canâ€™t do the same. This team just needs to be tweaked, not torn apart. Sather is every bit as obnoxious and arrogant as he appears to be.”

We could easily replace Straka and Shanny. Shanny is too old and Straka never fulled healed from last years arm injury. And we have to wait to win because we weren’t built to win every year like Detroit and other teams like that. No amount of tweaking will make this team a cup contender. Instead we’ll just be what we were last season. A mediocre team that floats into the playoffs and loses in the 1st or 2nd round.

“In my eyes Jags was NOT our best player, yea maybe stat wise he was. But I still think he has actually has lost his potential to be a number 1 player for any team. And why did it take him practically the entire season to come alive??? I do love Jags and think he is a great player and person. But I think, and I am kind of having a hard time actaully saying this, but I think we would be better with him. I really donâ€™t think we can win THE cup with him. Again I think we revolve to much around him, itâ€™s time we move on.”

Once again, I agree. Stats are one thing, but having the team revolve around one player is not good for the organization as a whole. Who knows what the potential is of some of the younger/Hartford guys when you put them on a line with Gomez or Drury. Let’s try something new. Ditching Jagr(Straka,Rosi, and Malik) and Shanny is not up rooting the entire team. Shake things up a bit and get new prospectives on people.

I just vomited when I learned that Fatso beat out Hank for the Vezina. Freakin’ Canadians-I guess if they can’t get the cup legitimately, they figure let’s give away the other hardware to the boys from home.

‘I just vomited when I learned that Fatso beat out Hank for the Vezina. Freakinâ€™ Canadians-I guess if they canâ€™t get the cup legitimately, they figure letâ€™s give away the other hardware to the boys from home.’

Nabby should’ve won. Great lundqvist was up there but he didn’t deserve it. As much as I hate Marty, him and Nabby both were the best players on their teams and kept them alive. I’d just give it to Nabby because of how much he really did for the Sharks into the playoffs. He was a wall and played 43 straight games.

Anybody know anything about Andreas Jamtin? Apparently the rangers just signed him and, according to this link, “his level of play is fast, with the attitude of Sean Avery — unafraid to throw himself into any situation presented.” That sounds pretty cool, but does anybody know anything more about him? Here is the link i am refering to…

*LET SHANNY GO! No 4th line, no-nothing!!!*
*HOW DOES ANYONE KNOW JAGR WANTS TO STAY IN NEW YORK?!*
Wasn’t he the guy who said “My dad opened a hockey rink and I promised I would help him with it” … and then a week later met for dinner with a RSL owner who (reportedly) offered him $12million?! And a guy on here *KNOWS* Jagr wants to stay. Laughable.
*SIGN AVERY FOR 3 YEARS AND $11MILLION*
*FIND A TOP D-MAN*

Mara, Straka, Jagr (in that order) are the UFA’s I would be interested in keeping. Mara, because I believe he was the best d-man. Straka, because for $3-4million he does play a solid all-around game (hands are really going). And Jagr, unfortunately, is really only useful because without him we might be worse. But is that a real reason to sign him? (maybe for 1 season $5mil or less)

And, btw, Mr. Weinman,
Your label of Drury as being half of *”a formidable collection of high-end centers”* is just as offensive as the thought of having Avery as a top-winger for a full season.

Avery can’t carry a team. He can’t score or stick-handle like Jagr. But guess what? *Neither can Drury,* and Drury saw PK and PP time and didnt have numbers that reflect that extra time either. Fact remains, Avery *had a better playoff run, almost the same % of GWGs (if he played a full season), and averaged 10 points less than Drury (based on an 82 game season)*…not too shabby for a guy who didn’t get put out in the last minutes of games that were close (when the Rangers were losing), isn’t allowed to see powerplay time unless it’s the last minute of a 5-min major or a 5-on-3 but only after Drury, Jagr, Straka, and Shanahan are all exhausted, and played about 16 minutes per game (compared to Drury’s 20minutes).

JAgr has stated in interviews with John Dellapina, MSG, Stan Fischler and about twenty other places that the Rangers are his first choice, and that he’s not even interested in offers until he finds out if Sather and the Rangers want him back. Go read any of there blogs and it tells you the same.

I agree that on MAra and JAgr we should be interested in keeping, for a rebated price on both, but Straka is already contemplating playing in Czech Rep., so cut him loose while we can.

I have a scary feeling that Sather will make a killer offer to Hossa. It’s always been the Ranger way to get the biggest name out there. If so, you’ll have 3 guys making almost half of the cap. Last year you knew the Rangers were getting a FA, I have no idea what’s ahead this summer.

Jersey, that’s funny because during the season Jagr said he didn’t know where he would be playing and wouldn’t commit to the Rangers. After game 3 against the Penguins, he also said “this next game might be my last” … in the NHL. He was also recorded as saying this during the 2005 lockout: “My heart is pulling me toward Omsk but reason is making me lean toward [New York] … I really liked it in both places.”

To me, that says he’s a good businessman who understands supply and demand. Guess what happens if the Rangers want him? Then he can sign in Detroit for $6.5-8 million! But if the Rangers don’t want him, he signs in Detroit, Anaheim, maybe even Pittsburgh for about $4-6 million…or he goes back to Omsk. More teams in the pot means a bigger payout to him. Simple economics.

22figure8 – Hossa is as good as signed by the Pens. There was an article in a Pittsburgh paper the other day, where he gushed over his opportunity to play on Crosby’s wing. And why not? He ensures Hoss will get TONS of PP time(Divesby)and will get needle and thread passes from Sid, seeing as though that’s probably the most dynamic part of his game. He’ll put up nasty numbers with Sid, and that contract is just about what Hossa is worth. Anyone offering him more is doing it just to lure him out of Pittsburgh. And that’s not how NHL GMs typically work.

Beer Me! – agreed. Prucha is a good player who is definitely worth more than he contributed this year. But I wouldn’t be throwing this guy into the 35-35 club just yet, or ever at all for that matter.

I think Jagr’s liabilities outweigh his assets. His inconsistency this past year is well documented, as great as he was in the playoffs. Add another year of life and NHL hockey into that mix, and a 2008-2009 Jagr doesn’t look to be much more than a 25-goal scorer. Tops. Not worth the probable asking price, whatever it is. The PP was a farce, largely due to Jagr’s influence – I swear, I think he would rather lose a leg than dump and chase. I cannot COUNT the number of times he tried to beat 2 or more enemies at their blue line, only to cough it up and start a 2-on-1 the other way, with JJ half-skating on the “backcheck”.

HE also could be called for stick infractions EVERY SHIFT! Another year on his wheels isn’t going to make him faster.

No, Jagr COLD be useful, but time to move on – same with Shanny. Sign Avery (REASONABLY!), make Drury captain, hope Ryan Malone and Orpik are still available. Leave Hossa alone, wait a few months, and make a run for Lecavelier when he bolts (get it?) TB. Oh, and CALL MIKE GREEN’s agent!!!

True Fans, you take Jagr way too seriously. Did you see the video of when he said it could be his last game, he was so obviously joking and just playing with the reporters. It was pretty damn funny. He jokes around and plays with the media all the time and thats how things in Pittsburgh got screwed up because people took him seriously.

When push comes to shove though, at the end of the year he told everyone he wanted to stay in NY because he loves it here and so does his g/f. If he doesn’t get the offer then he’ll look elsewhere, but NY is the #1 place he wants to be.

Here is a deal that makes sense for both the Rangers and the Kings.We desperatley need a stud dman who has a top notch game offensivly.I propose that we package Tyutin,Saguanetti,Prucha and our 1st rounder(#20),to the Kings for their 1st (#2) and Mike Cammellari.We than draft Drew Doughty.From our pespective,we add a quality (although short)winger who can score and easily replace Jagr’s 25g and 71pts.Gomez gets the fast,good finishing wing that he needs to have to maximize his strenghs.We than go out on the FA mkt and sign Mikael Ryder who is still young and capable of sliding quite nicley between Dubi and Sean Avery who’s signing is a must in my opinion.To rplace Tyutin,we go out on the Fa mkt and sign Brooks Orpik, who would look real good playing next to Marc Staal.In Drew Doughty,we would be getting a sure fire NHL player with a good offensive game and a very underatted defensive game.I watched him play against Saguanetti in the Wjc and he looked great as did Sags at times.I just think Doughty has a huge upside that one day may make him special.

From the Kings persecptive this deal works great as well.They have several glaring weaknesses that can be addressed with this trade as well.They would add a defenseman who is very good and might still have a good upside.A real good dman in Sags who will be a very good to great NHL player for a very long time.In Prucha,they are getting a good all around player who has been extremely misused by the genius.A player capable of scoring 20-30goals who is young an still under contract.Camallerri who is an ufa after this season,will walk and the Kings will get nothing for him.The Kings will than have two 1st rounders and a high second that can be either kept and used to stock pile good prospects or used in a deal to trade back into the top 10 and get them self iether someone like Filatov or Cody Hodgson.Net result for them is a brand new defense rebuilt in one off season(Thomas Hickey is another can’t miss dman from last year’s draft that is NHL ready).For me,I think that we look a hell of alot better with Orpik and Doughty on the defense than with Tyutin.

We also say good bye to Jagr,save the three million tyutin makes and use that to sign Kurt Sauer or Ron Hainsey as well.We also get the added benefit of opening up a roster spot or two for Korpikoski and Byers who are both ready to step in.Give the Captaincy to Drury.Give Gomez the A and give the A to Staal or Dubi as a symbol to the young kids in the orginization that this team is now committed to a young fast skating hard hitting big team that is hungry and is very close to a Stan;ey Cup team.Not like last year’s pretenders with names.

We need at least one stud defenceman for a few reasons, one of the primary ones being that we don’t have a take-charge guy. If we move out, and move in, the right players, it will be a drastic improvement. But if Renney gets a mover and shaker on the blue line, he damn well better let him be one, and coach to that strength.

And if Renney is not spending a good proportion of his free time watching video of the Red Wings playoff games, and at least trying to steal shamelessly, then he is an idiot. They did things that any team could learn that don’t cost money.

I see that Malone isn’t really interested in CLB, and fully expects to test the market. I’m still on the fence, but leaning towards wanting him up front. He brings some size that we definitely don’t have.

Congrats to Glenn Anderson also. But I’ll always be a little pissed to see my boy Gartner leave for a guy to play 35games as a Ranger.

Gartner was a great guy to have and seeing him leave was rough. Tho, I always said that whatever it takes… is worth it. I didn’t want ot see Amonte and Turcotte go either… but the end more than justifies the means.

ok, leaning the other way on the fence now with Malone. He’s looking for somewhere around $5mil/5 yrs. Avgs about 22 goals 45pts/season. 28 yrs old. 6’4″ 225lbs is nice though. I’d say ‘no prob’ to $4mil/per. And I’d rather pay him $4mil/per than Avery. But I’m probably dreaming.

I’m not sold on Malone, reminds me of Drury… put up numbers on a high octane team… would probably disappear in NY.

I think Slats will def throw something at Hossa but I don’t think he’ll bite.

If Jagr goes (please), I’d like to see Brandon as the #2 C. Obviously I expect Gomez as #1 and Drury #3….depending on possible wings. I think Brandon has more of what we are going to need to take games though, and I would not want to bury him on the 3rd line. Possibly move Drury to wing on 2nd line.

If Drury gets the Captaincy I will be ill. And not the good ill, the bad ill. He has not earned it on this team. Scott Gomez clearly has been a leader on the ice, and in the locker room.

Rethinking all that… I must have been out of my mind to just assume Dubinsky as #2… he worked with Jagr and Jagr may have made him look better than he is yet…

Thats not to say Dubinsky can’t earn the #2, but I’m sure we’ll see Drury there to start.

We are going to get so screwed on Avery. He’s not worth anything more than $2.75M and we are going to give him very close to $4M. I like the guy, but he’s not a savior, he just happens to have a certain balance of balls and skill that we needed at a certain time. He also has nail polish and gets hurt easily… anything more than $3 for Avery is not in the best interest of the team. _Especially_ without Shanny keeping him on a leash.

re: Dubi though, I think as a #3 guy it may help him more than hurt him. I see him as more of a high-energy guy than a guy that likes to slow the game down to jags’ speed. Limited time may allow him for a more explosive game. Thoughts?

Salther good thoughts on Avery…not a chance he’s worth more than 3 mil.

As far a Dubi goes I agree with you Beer…however I’m starting to get the feeling that this team is kind of just hodge-podge, throw together with little thought.
If Jagr stays I’ll gonna say that Dubi will still be our number 1 center. unless JJ takes 2nd or 3rd line minutes, making Dubi our number 2 or 3 center…
damn what a mess!!!

Beer yeah I hear you on Dubi at 3rd… but think about his linemates…. if he’s out there with Hartford’s finest in Dawes and Cally or something… those guys are not going to be able to slow things down like he can. They play a “go to the net hard” style and Dubi is going to be controlling the puck looking for well positioned players. I’m just thinking that you keep Dubinsky playing with as good of players as you can. Yes he may have that initial chemistry with his Hartford guys, but I think he’s could/should be head and shoulders above them in the near future….

salther – I was saying the opposite really. That Dubi did not make it to the nhl by playing a “jagr style”. The problem was, was that no one on the roster COULD. So jags looked to Dubi to be that guy. I think Dubi would be even better in a ‘crash the net’ game.

Many of you are crazy. If Jagr should go, it should have been WHEN THEY COULD TRADE HIM FOR SOMETHING. Can you imagine the talent a Jagr trade last season would have gotten the Rangers? If he goes now it’ll be all for nothing.

Noonan, they were building for the cup and so why would they trade Jagr? Didn’t you see all those commercials on MSG? haha

Here’s the Jagr situation in a nutshell. If he stays, he will not be on the second PP unit and he will not play 2nd or 3rd line time (you’re on crack if you actually expect that)!! If he stays for one season, whoopdy doo – we’ll have another mediocre year. If he goes, then the organization will be FORCED to find a new captain (albeit Drury or Jason Smith). The team will grow from it’s development of youth and new team chemistry with JJ out. In the long run, the team is better served without Jag’s because his desire was lacking for 75 games last year and he won’t be around in 2 or 3 years when Drury and Gomez MUST BE the leaders in NY. Fact.

true fans – I know, but it’s nice to dream. We have another few days of COMPLETE uncertainty. After the draft, we have another week or so until 7/1, then we’ll know a bit more. This time without hearing anything sux.

Cliff, they’re called role players, every team has them. The Red Wings had 5 forwards who played 50-80 games and had 12 points or fewer (and scored between 0 – 6 goals).
Pittsburgh had Laraque (4 goals), Hall (2), and Ruutu (6). Those were the best teams from the East and West, and even they have guys who barely put the puck in the net. Hollweg and Orr obviously lack scoring ability but they play a part and if you got rid of them, who’s going on your 4th line? Do you have a hidden Kovalchuk-Iginla-Ovechkin line we don’t know about?!

I’d like to see Dubinsky play that way too (and I think he will in the long run next season if Jagr is gone)… but I also think he’s got the raw puck control skills, especially down low, and will have the size/weight soon enough to become a player who does hold onto the puck at length while surveying the play. Crash the net now? Sure… but players who are good at that will (ideally) be more readily available in the future. It’s not often we see a kid like Dubinsky with such raw skill. If this guy can be a puck control specialist…. we might want to polish him as such.

Top line next year:
Gomez (alternate captain) centering Hollweg (captain) and Marcel Hossa (we need that guy back badly).

I don’t want to see Dubi as a crash-the-net guy. I would rather see him work on his puck-posession and become the setup guy for Prucha, Callahan, and Dawes – those guys lack the stick handling ability but have decent finishing touches.

I think without Jagr next year, you’re probably gonna want to try have Dubinsky and Hollweg playing together in some capacity if at all possible…even if it means putting Dubinsky on a wing. Sure, Dubinsky has come a long way but you *cannot* say enough about the impact true veteran leadership can have on up and coming players like Brandon.

Actually, Malone would probably work well now that I think about it…. a line of Avery – Drury – Malone would be amazing (but the cap won’t let it happen, since Jagr needs to be re-signed too)… but A-D-M would be the ultimate net-crashing line.

Sweet jesus Dubinsky with Hollweg? How about stuffing Hollweg on the 4th line and Wolfpack, calling him up when the Rangers play teams like the Islanders, Pens, Devils, and Hurricanes. When Orr is injured. That sounds better to me.

Keep it simple ….This is a fill the gap year the team is good enough to compete for the cup…probably not enough to win it…best move is to add leadership+ proven cup winning toughness that has established itself

1- only sign 1 UFA RW Winger–Jagr 1yr 4.5 m + 4.5 bonus*cap hit is 4.5 for next year…in 2010 if he hits the bonus…the cap hit transfers over to that year if you make the bonuses all season ending bonuses like say
1 million$ for playing at least 15 mins a game for 72 games
1 million$ for leading the team in +/-
1 million$ for leading the team in Game Winning OT goals
1 million$ for winning any NHL award
500k$ for Captaining the team to the 4th Round*Cup Finals*

Sign 1 UFA Center(M.Sundin for the same contract as above)
or if Sundin doesn’t want to come to NYR then Avery for 2.8m

Sign 1 UFA LW-Matt Cooke*Washington is at about 52 million before signing any of the 5 of Morrisson/Eminger/Laich/Fehr/Gordon…and they would probably be too important depth and quality wise to simply let go. They’d probably be able to trade 1 or 2 of them on Draft but not more. Assuming neither Gratchev or Filatov are Caps next season…Federov will be brought back for 2.25+m + bonuses that leaves them at the cap.

REalize that M.Green will use Phaneuf/Boyle as comparables and get in the 6.5 range for his scoring alone+and that Huet wants to double his salary from last year(2.8) will be around Vokouns’s 5.7 million$ so that’s where the 52 million$ base cap hit comes from&*

As for the Defense–M.Commodorex 2 yrs @ 2.4-2.8 million
A. Foote x 3 yrs for 11 m$ w/ the cap hit being similar to last seasons C.Sarich 3.6 signing for a #2 hitter that’s not too bad.

Shanny as a player coach who only counts for the cap if injuries hit and then he can sign an NHL contract and play as inj reserve for say 1.4 cap hit(for an 82 g season)

Trading Tyutin seems a little counterproductive unlness you can sway D.Kalinin to sign a 3 mill per year multi yr deal

Kalinin is Russia Bound but for a serious cup team w/ a strong Russian Fan Base and a young crop of Talented Russians like Anisimov+Cherapanov the talent is there to make Dmitiri consider NYR…the key isn’t cash its friendships and relationships…is NYR the right fit for him…he’d have much more to do here than he did in Buffalo..and unlike BUffalo..NYR doesn’t have problems payinG its top performers…he’s a good #2/3 dman like Tyutin.

Use Tyutin+Prucha/Dawes+1st rounder to get into that top 8 range where there is almost certainly an NHL ready guy waiting and pick one of the guys there…might work…but Cammallieri isn’t a guy that would fit on NYR…he’s a playmaking Center that’s being forced to play RW…because kings are stacked at Center…NYR has the same scenario…he would fit nicely…but a true power forward like Malone(ok he’s a 2nd liner but a pfw still) would be a better use of the 4.5 cap space…I think that when you have a 40 goal guy like G.Murray that wants the big fat contract at a similar age to Malone it teaches you something….Now Murray at 34 is an ok 3/4th liner but for 4.2 cap hit…he is exactly like Malone…except Malone has never had a 4o or even 30 goal season…if its about the Ca$# for Ryan..he’s got to make it work for the other team as well…say 2 yrs 9 million not the crazy 25 million dollar deal he’s asking…the other thing he should consider is that does he want the cup or does he want the cash…its very unlikely he’ll be winning the cup w/ the team that’s willing to pay 5 million dollars for a 2nd line 20-30 goal pfw… unless that team consistently underpays its talent like San Jose Detroit or New Jersey. And something tells me that none of those teams are interested in 5 yr 25 million dollar deals

oh…and Gomez…Trade him to the CBJ since they are desperate for a #1 C and top pair calibre Dman—Tyutin+Gomer for 6th pick in the draft + either a pair of 2nd rounders or Voracek, or the exclusive rights to R.Hainsey+Malhotra(Malhotra is top 30 in facesoffs and has 15 m a night ability to go along w/ his 11 goals vs- gomez’s 16._)

Sather hasn’t even spoken with Jagr and you replaced more than half the team! haha.

You also have what…9million or 11million in bonuses to be held against the 09-10 cap?! DUDE! ARE YOU CRAZY? The team needs money then too. I just don’t see how the team’s signing all these players considering they’re paying Drew, Gomer, and Hank about 22million this year…and how they’ll have any money to put out more than those 3 players in 09-10.

Salt, I’d rather not hinder Hollweg’s natural scoring ability by keeping him at center. He’s not a setup guy, he’s a finisher…at the net, and the boards! Let him skate and score from the wing like only he knows how!

Please resign sean avery. Just look at the record when he is in the lineup. You can afford to give it to a guy who always brings his game. I do not care if his team mates do not like him, he wins and that is what I care about